Swire served in the Grenadier Guards for three years, between 1980-1983,[2][3] before working as a financial consultant. He became the first Head of Development for the National Gallery in 1988, before working at the auction houseSotheby's from 1992, becoming Director in 1996. He held this role when standing for election in 2001.[4][5]

He contested Greenock and Inverclyde in 1997, finishing fourth. In 2001 he won the seat of East Devon. Two years after his election to Parliament, he became an Opposition whip. In 2004, he was promoted to become Shadow Culture Minister. He joined the Shadow Cabinet on 8 December 2005, when new leader David Cameron appointed him Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Swire was made Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 4 September 2012. On 6 September 2013, Swire sent letters to the South China Morning Post and Ming Pao, commenting on the universal suffrage of Hong Kong SAR, emphasising the importance of democracy. Moreover, he added that he would provide any support towards the establishment of universal suffrage in Hong Kong.[citation needed]

In January 2015, Hong Kong’s leaders caused diplomatic ‘outrage’ after declining to meet him to discuss political reform. Swire believed the Chinese government feared it would cause pro-democracy unrest, though the purpose of the visit was also to support trade.[13] Swire resigned from his ministerial post on 15 July 2016 following the sacking of several other ministers who were considered to be close to David Cameron. He had tweeted: "Not a good time to be a Cameroon. The tumbrils are rolling again!"[14]

Swire became Chairman of the Conservative Middle East Council (CMEC) in September 2016, having previously been a member of the group. In June 2016, he accepted a donation of £10,000 from the wife of a billionaire with links to the leadership of Saudi Arabia. The journalist Peter Oborne has criticised the direction of CMEC away from its earlier focus on Palestine, to greater interest on the Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia.[16]

Various aspects of Swire's parliamentary expenses have generated adverse comments from critics. He was criticised for having the joint highest Additional Cost Allowance in the country in 2002/03, but argued that it was legal and that he had not financially benefited from the arrangement as he only rented the property in his constituency that the bulk of the costs related to.[17] He was featured in articles on questionable expenses claims in The Telegraph,[18]The Guardian[19] and BBC website[20] in 2009, with attention made to his claims for a designer laptop case, an opera booklet and a satellite navigation system. Swire argued that the claims were sound and that he had not been asked to pay any of them back.[21]

Although Parliament has banned new MPs from employing family members since June 2017, Swire continues to employ his wife as his Senior Researcher/Parliamentary Assistant.[citation needed] He stated in 2009 that family members could add value and that his wife has an 'extraordinary knowledge of the constituency having worked for me'.[22]

Swire correctly predicted in November 2016 that Donald Trump would win the election for President of the United States of America.[23]

Although a eurosceptic, Swire supported the official position of his party and campaigned for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union before the EU membership referendum on 23 June 2016.[24] Since the result was announced, Swire has continued to support the party leadership and now advocates leaving the European Union.[25]